Makfax

Dimitrov attends CEI ministerial meeting in Trieste

Dimitrov attends CEI ministerial meeting in Trieste

Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov will take part in the annul meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Central European Initiative (CEI) in Trieste June 12.

On the
sidelines of the event, Dimitrov will meet with a handful of counterparts.

The annual meeting of the Ministers of
Foreign Affairs of the 17 Member-Countries of the Central European Initiative (CEI), will be attended by ministers of
Albania, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, North Macedonia,
Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Ukraine, and Hungary, as well as by the representatives of European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EBRD, the
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE; the Black Sea
Cooperation initiative; the Council of the Baltic Sea States, CBSS; the
Regional Cooperation Council for South East Europe, RCC; and the European
Commission.

The meeting will be chaired by
Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi, who recalls that the CEI constitutes the
“original and consolidated assembly of the central-eastern European and Balkan
countries. The CEI, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year,
was and remains an ideal and operating bridge between the people and
governments of a significantly large area of the continent. Moreover, it has
become an established forum of debate and cooperation of considerable
relevance, also because it unites the States that are members of the European
Union with the States that are not,” Minister Moavero said in a
statement.

In 2019, a year under its
rotating Presidency, Italy intends to “corroborate the specific value added of
the CEI, increasing the effectiveness of sharing and cooperation mechanisms and
outlining ambitious common objectives, capable of really meeting the aspirations
and needs of citizens,” Minister Moavero said.

“For these reasons in
Trieste we will be talking about: security, including cybersecurity and
combating terrorism and international crime; guaranteeing the Rule of Law and
promoting sustainable development; economic cooperation and investments,
especially in infrastructure in the transport and energy sectors; social and
employment policies; protecting the environment and the historical, artistic and
cultural heritage; product quality and consumer protection; scientific
research, innovation and intellectual property; educational opportunities and
connecting schools, universities and training institutes,” he added.

Bulgaria demands justice for flag burning at Melbourne rally

Bulgarian
authorities will seek justice for the burning of Bulgarian national flag during
a protest rally of Macedonian Diaspora outside Macedonian Consulate in Melbourne,
Australia.

A group
of around 50 Macedonian expats, living and working in Australia, set the Bulgarian
flag on fire outside their Consulate in Melbourne, while also burning the Greek
flag and photos of Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and Defense Minister Radmila
Sekerinska.

Petar
Nikolaev, Bulgaria’s acting Ambassador to Australia, has been tasked by
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zakharieva to meet with Australian
officials and urge them take the necessary measures against the perpetrators of
this incident, and sanction any attempt to burn national insignia.

Macedonian
authorities denounced the burning of national flags of Bulgaria and Greece outside
North Macedonia’s Consular Office in Melbourne. Such acts undermine the image
of the country, authorities in Skopje said, noting that “burning flags of
states and posters of the prime minister and deputy prime minister is not
characteristic feature of patriots nor an image of our diaspora”.